Field
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to an audio device that is configured to control the delivery of an audio output to a user.
Description of the Related Art
Audio devices allow users to receive audio content from various media sources, such as computers, tablets, mobile phones, gaming systems or other types of devices. Typical audio devices may include wired headphones or wireless headphones. Some wired or wireless headphones include user inputs, such as manual buttons and switches, allowing the user to power on the headphones and/or control the audio content supplied to the headphones by using these inputs.
While user inputs can enhance the functionality of the headphones, hand-operated inputs, such as manual buttons and switches, require input from a user. Such manual input can be inconvenient to the user. Thus, headphones that can automatically perform operations, such as playing or halting the delivery of audio content, is desired. Some headphones have incorporated mechanical sensors or switches into the headphones to detect when the headphones are on the user's head to control the delivery of the audio content. However, such mechanical sensors are unreliable and suffer from wear and tear due to the repeated motions that occur during use. Other headphones have incorporated non-mechanical sensors, such as infrared sensors. These infrared sensors operate by projecting an infrared beam and then sensing the reflection of the beam to determine if the headphones are positioned correctly on the user. The process of delivering and detecting an infrared beam consumes substantial amounts of power reducing the amount of time that wireless headphones can be used before recharging is needed. Furthermore, the hardware required to project and sense the reflected infrared beam can be difficult to incorporate into a compact headphone design. Thus, there is a need for a more reliable, power-efficient, and compact headphone design that provides the convenience of performing operations, such as playing audio content automatically.